Exploring the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy in the management of mycobacterium ulcerans wounds: a comprehensive literature review

Mycobacterium ulcerans (M Ulcerans) infection leads to the debilitating Buruli ulcer (BU), characterized by necrotizing skin and soft tissue lesions. Conventional treatment primarily focuses on an antibiotic regimen, but wound management remains paramount to patient recovery. This literature review aims to evaluate the efficacy and benefits of Vacuum Assisted Dressing (VAC) in the treatment and management of BU wounds. A systematic literature search was undertaken using databases such as PubMed, Cinahl, Cochrane database, Joanna Briggs Institute, Medline, Internurse, Nursing & Allied Health database, and Scopus search from January 1995 to December 2023. The key search terms included “Mycobacterium ulcerans”, OR “Buruli ulcer”, AND “vacuum assisted dressing”, “vacuum assisted therapy”, “Vacuum Assisted Dressing”, “negative pressure wound therapy”, and “Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)”. The exclusion criteria were animal studies and studies not in the English language. The current literature emphasizes the importance of antibiotic treatment for BU and highlights the skin and soft tissue damage that results in open, infected wounds. However, there is a notable lack of quantitative data on the efficacy of NPWT for treating BU wounds. Early evidence indicates that NPWT might accelerate wound healing, decrease secondary infections, and enhance wound bed readiness for grafting or secondary healing. While more comprehensive quantitative studies are warranted, NPWT emerges as a promising adjunctive therapy in the holistic management of BU wounds, offering benefits that may improve patient outcomes and reduce morbidity.